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Henshaw and Conan both start. Billy Stickland/INPHO

Henshaw, Furlong and Conan start for Gatland's Lions in the first Test

Conor Murray and Tadhg Beirne have been included on the bench.

WARREN GATLAND HAS included Irish trio Jack Conan, Robbie Henshaw, and Tadhg Furlong in a Lions starting XV captained by Alun Wyn Jones for Saturdayโ€™s first Test against the Springboks in Cape Town [KO 5pm Irish time, Sky Sports].

Conor Murray and Tadhg Beirne have been included on the bench but their Ireland team-mates Bundee Aki and Iain Henderson miss out on the matchday 23.

Gatland has selected a team including several surprises, with Conanโ€™s form rewarded at number eight ahead of the highly experienced Taulupe Faletau, who is absent from the squad.

Furlong starts in a front row that also includes Wyn Jones and the in-form Luke Cowan-Dickie, while Maro Itoje partners the fit-again Jones in the second row. This will be Jonesโ€™ 10th successive Lions Test start.

Conan is in the middle of a back row that sees Courtney Lawes beat Beirne for the starting blindside slot and Tom Curry preferred to Hamish Watson on the openside. Watson and Beirne will both look to make an impact as replacements.

Murray also has to settle for a place on the bench as Gatland opts for in-form Scotland scrum-half Ali Price in the number nine shirt. Price will partner Dan Biggar in the halfbacks, with Owen Farrell joining Murray among the substitutes.

conor-murray Murray has to settle for a spot on the bench. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

After making his comeback from a hamstring injury last weekend, Henshaw partners Elliot Daly in midfield, with the versatile England international having impressed at outside centre on this tour.

Meanwhile, the back three is made up of the powerful Duhan van der Merwe on the left wing, Anthony Watson on the right, and Scotland captain Stuart Hogg at fullback. Walesโ€™ Josh Adams misses out on the matchday squad as Liam Williams provides back three cover as a replacement.

Gatland has opted for a regular 5/3 split on his bench, with Ken Owens named ahead of Jamie George, Rory Sutherland preferred to Mako Vunipola, and Kyle Sinckler offering impact at tighthead.

Beirne will cover the second row and blindside flanker, while Watson is also primed provide an injection of power in the back row. Farrell covers out-half and inside centre, while Williams could come on at fullback or on the wing.

โ€œIn my four tours as a Lions coach, this was by far the hardest Test selection I have been involved in,โ€ said Lions boss Gatland.

Lions (v South Africa):

15. Stuart Hogg

14. Anthony Watson

13. Elliot Daly

12. Robbie Henshaw 

11. Duhan van der Merwe

10. Dan Biggar 

9. Ali Price

1. Wyn Jones

2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 

3. Tadhg Furlong 

4. Maro Itoje 

5. Alun Wyn Jones (captain)

6. Courtney Lawes

7. Tom Curry

8. Jack Conan

Replacements:

16. Ken Owens

17. Rory Sutherland

18. Kyle Sinckler

19. Tadhg Beirne

20. Hamish Watson

21. Conor Murray

22. Owen Farrell

23. Liam Williams

Referee: Nic Berry [Rugby Australia].

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37 Comments
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    Mute dabuyincojen
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    Dec 19th 2014, 9:35 AM

    If he does live Dortmund. Think Liverpool would suit him. He seems to be able to achieve alot with limited resources and young players. Could be what the pool needs. Donโ€™t want to see Rodgers go but Klopp would be a good replacement. YNWA

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    Mute Mark Lillis
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    Dec 19th 2014, 10:10 AM

    If he was to go to Liverpool and do what he has done at Dortmund, Liverpool would have a few good seasons before becoming a feeder club to teams with more money. They would end up in the relegation zone before he moved on to do the same in Spain or Italy.

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    Mute Derek Mahon
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    Dec 19th 2014, 10:10 AM

    Klopp could do a lot better than us, and thatโ€™s coming from a liverpool fan.

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Dec 19th 2014, 1:37 PM

    I still think arsenal would be mad to let wenger go. Much harder to win the English league than the German one. I think if arsenal do let wenger go theyโ€™ll only realise what theyโ€™ve lost afterwards.

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    Mute Harry Redmond
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    Dec 19th 2014, 8:23 PM

    I donโ€™t think Klopp is the right choice for Arsenal and maybe not Liverpool. The reason theyโ€™re doing well in the CL and horrifically in the league is because they have one gameplan and domestic opposition and copped onto it. They sit back and hit on the counter to negate Dortmundโ€™s high energy attacks. Theyโ€™re afforded more time on the ball in the CL and that means theyโ€™re doing well but Klopp hasnโ€™t adapted at all with Dortmund, Guardiola has worked out how to adjust his plan for different opponents and completely deserves the continued domination in Germany whereas Dortmund have fallen away.

    I am not at all saying that Klopp is a bad manager, but seeing fans beg for their manager to be sacked and to have him placed as a saviour for any team in need simply isnโ€™t correct.

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